Authorities shed light on Gap safety plan

The Northern Territory Government will foot the bill to install lights at the Gap in Alice Springs.

Kym Davies from the Department of the Chief Minister says there have been a number of rock throwing attacks in the area in the past two years, including attacks on ambulances.

He says the Alice Springs Town Council asked for help to make the area safer.

"Council is concerned that the darkness in the centre of the Gap area is leading to this happening, so there's been other areas in Alice Springs that have been lit up as a result of rock throwing like Anzac Hill and Billygoat Hill areas, so it's not a great leap to do the Gap area in a similar vein," he said.

"At this stage we think the easiest way to do it is to put lights on top of the existing towers which will focus up on the hill and there won't be many lights but there will be enough to light up that centre area of Heavitree Gap."

Council chief executive Rex Mooney says the lights are essential to protect people travelling through the Gap area.

"The time frame would be I would imagine a few weeks, in that order," he said.

"There's discussions I understand to take place with power and water and the Chief Minister's Department and they've been ongoing and there will be further discussions early next week just to finalise the details.

"So I think all parties are hopeful within a few weeks.

"Council believes the lights are essential and is very pleased that this is a view that's been supported by the Government and the council and the Government and power and water now are ... working cooperatively to ensure that the right sort of lights are erected in the shortest possible time frame."